Mascara, an essential tool for beautiful long lashes. Even without any makeup just adding a few coats of mascara can really open up the eyes to give a youthful beautiful appearance.
But how we can get that beautiful look without the ramifications of toxic chemicals near our eyes? (click here to read about how mascara can have long-term effects on our eye health).
I went through several mascara brands that claim they are non-toxic.
Keep in mind that the FDA is very lenient on the cosmetic industry banning only 11 cosmetic chemicals in the US, whereas in Europe 1,300 cosmetic chemicals are banned.
In the US cosmetic manufacturers only have to list 1% of the ingredients included in the cosmetic product.
This makes it a little difficult to know exactly what ingredients we are putting near or on our eyes.
Below is a list of ingredients that have potential to cause eye irritation. In my search of the ultimate mascara, I found that wax is utterly impossible to avoid.
Also, since we need to stick to non-waterproof there is a higher likelihood of the makeup smudging.
The long-term risks of makeup particles becoming permanently embedded in the underside of the eyelid as shown in the photo below, outweigh the benefits of water-proof mascara in my opinion.
Cosmetic Ingredients to avoid due to eye irritation:
- BAK (benzalkonium chloride)
- Parabens
- Cinnamates
- Wax
- EDTA
- -urea (a formaldehyde-donating preservative)
- Sodium hydroxymethylglycinate
- Bonopol
- Glyoxyl
- Prostaglandin analogs (look for the suffix -prost)
5 Best Reviewed Less Toxic Non-waterproof Mascara on Amazon
I put this table together after going through hours of reviews on various mascara that can be purchased on Amazon.
| Brand | Cost | ☆ Rating | Pros | Cons |
| Julep Length Matters | $15.00 | 4.7/5★★★★★ 245 ratings | – SLS free – Paraben-free – add length – less clumpy – no smudging | – flakey – no volume – hard to apply |
| Bare Minerals: Escentuals Lastopia Mega Volume | $16.26 | 4.6/5★★★★✰ 1,019 ratings | – smooth – not clumpy – adds length | – smudges – messy to apply – hard to clean |
| Neutrogena Healthy Volume Lash-Plumping Mascara | $9.59 | 4.5/5★★★★✰ 771 ratings | – good for allergies – multiple colors – stays on all day – easy removal – good price | – large brush-hard to use |
| ILIA – Natural Limitless Lash Mascara | $28.00 | 4.4/5 ★★★★✰ 1,046 ratings | – good for allergies – no smudging – no camping – no smearing – easy to remove – 25% organic | – expensive |
| Honest Beauty Extreme length | $16.99 | 4.3/5★★★★✰ 8,728 ratings | – Silicon free – Paraben free – great primer | – Clumpy – Messy – No volume |
The Bottom Line
I’m sure we all want to look our best while doing what is best for our health. Keep in mind that waterproof makeup comes with long-term health ramifications.
The main goal is to have awesome lashes without the long-term effects of waterproof makeup permanently embedded in the underside of the eyelid, causing red-eyes, eye irritation and eye sensitivity.
Look for non-waterproof and mineral-based makeup. You may need to try a few and find out what works best for you.